Emergency medical cervical collar

Abstract

The present invention is an emergency medical cervical collar suitable for land or water rescue operations. The collar more completely immobilizes the cervical portion of the victim's spine, and can be rapidly placed on the victim with minimal disturbance to the cervical portion of the spine. The collar includes generally U-shaped front and rear halves which are flexible, light weight, non-toxic, water resistant and buoyant in water. A flexible strap fastener is coupled to the rear collar half. Strap fastener guides are coupled to the front collar half so as to swivel thereon. Opposite end portions of the strap fastener are threaded through the strap fastener guides, and the strap fastener end portions are folded back and drawn evenly through the guides. The guides swivel as the collar halves are drawn together whereby the collar halves self-align. Each end portion of the strap fastener is provided with fastener material, and portion of the strap fastener therebetween is provided with mating fastener material so that the strap fastener end portions can be folded back and releasably attached to the portion therebetween whereby the collar halves are securely joined together as aligned. A second flexible strap fastener is coupled to the rear collar half so as to swivel thereon. The second strap fastener is looped around the person's head including the person's forehead, to prevent rotation or side-to-side movement of the head. A pad member is slideably mounted on the second strap fastener and is provided with a friction surface for engaging the person's forehead.

I claim: 
     
       1. Emergency medical cervical collar, comprising: first and second discrete body halves,   one of said halves being a front half and the other being a rear half, each half being generally U-shaped with a bight portion and a pair of end portions extending from the bight portion and preformed from soft, flexible material,   said rear half having a rigid support member at the bight portion thereof and slits located in the soft flexible material on opposite sides of said support member, the slits extending along sides of said support member to increase the flexibility of said rear half, and   means for securing said body halves together with the end portions of said body halves in adjustable overlapping relation.   
     
     
       2. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 1, wherein said slits constitute hinge means for permitting said rear half to flex inwardly and outwardly so as to accommodate a neck having a circumference of between approximately 11 and 23 inches. 
     
     
       3. Emergency medical cervical collar comprising: first and second discrete body halves, one of said halves being a front half and the other being a rear half,   each half being generally U-shaped with a bight portion and a pair of end portions extending from the bight portion, and preformed from soft flexible material,   said front collar half having a chin support portion, the end portions of said front collar half extending from the chin support portion so as to enclose a substantial portion of the person's jawbone,   said rear collar half having a skull portion, the end portions of said rear collar half extending unitarily from said skull portion sufficiently so as to overlap at least a portion of the person's ear, and   means for securing said body halves together with the end portions of said body halves in adjustable overlapping relation, and including a rigid reinforcement support member affixed adjacent the bight portion of the front collar half and strap means affixed to said front collar half and surrounding an exterior surface of said front collar half, whereby said collar substantially prevents flexion, hyperextension and side-to-side movement of the person's head.   
     
     
       4. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 3 wherein said collar further comprises: a pair of strap fasteners guides affixed to said rear collar half; and   strap means secured to each strap fastener guides, whereby said last-mentioned means overlies and is secured to said first mentioned strap means.   
     
     
       5. Emergency medical cervical collar, comprising: first and second discrete body halves,   one of said halves being a front half and the other being a rear half, each half being generally U-shaped with a bight portion and a pair of end portions extending from the bight portion and preformed from soft, flexible material,   said front half having slit means at the bight portion thereof extending to a bottom edge of the front half such that said collar half is expandable radially for providing a greater minimum inner circumference to the front collar half by opening said slit, and   means for securing said body halves together with the end portions of said body halves in adjustable overlapping relation.   
     
     
       6. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 5 wherein said slit means extends through the smallest circumferential portion of the front half and permits the front half to expand radially to accommodate a neck having a circumference of up to approximately 23 inches when the slit means is opened. 
     
     
       7. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 5 wherein said front half is provided with a reinforcing laminate. 
     
     
       8. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 5 including an opening provided in said front collar half so as to provide access to the person's trachea, said slit extending from said opening to said front collar half bottom edge. 
     
     
       9. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 5 further comprising means for limiting expansion of said front collar half. 
     
     
       10. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 9 wherein said means for limiting expansion of said front collar half includes a strap fastener. 
     
     
       11. Emergency medical cervical collar comprising: first and second discrete body halves,   one of said halves being a front half and the other being a rear half,   each half being generally U-shaped with a bight portion and a pair of end portions extending from the bight portion, and preformed from soft, flexible material, at least the rear half lacking reinforcing means which would prevent the rear half from being flexed to a substantially flattened position for slipping behind an accident victim's neck,   means for coupling said halves together with the end portions of said body halves in adjustable overlapping relation, and   means coupled to said rear collar half for adjustably encircling a portion of a person's head including the forehead to substantially prevent rotation or side-to-side movement of the head.   
     
     
       12. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 11 wherein the means for adjustably encircling the position of the person's head includes a strap fastener and a pad member slidable therealong, and said member having a friction surface for contacting a portion of the person's forehead whereby said strap fastener is substantially prevented from sliding on the person's forehead. 
     
     
       13. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 11 wherein said means for adjustably encircling a portion of the person's head includes a strap fastener and means for removably attaching said strap fastener to said rear collar half. 
     
     
       14. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 13 wherein said means for removably attaching said strap fastener includes fastener materials secured to said rear collar half. 
     
     
       15. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 11 wherein said rear collar half is provided with a rigid support member disposed along the bight portion thereof so as to permit flexing of the rear collar half to a substantially flattened position, said rigid member having a curved portion, and wherein said means for adjustably encircling a portion of the person's head is coupled to said support member curved portion at the bight portion of the rear collar half. 
     
     
       16. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 15 wherein said means for adjustably encircling the portion of the person's head is movably coupled to said support member curved portion so as to swivel thereon whereby said last-mentioned means may be moved to a cleared position so as to be readily accessible when said rear collar half is in position behind the person's head. 
     
     
       17. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 11 wherein said means for adjustably encircling a portion of the person's head is movably coupled to said rear collar half so as to swivel whereby said last-mentioned means may be moved to a cleared position so as to be readily accessible when said rear collar half is in position behind the person's head. 
     
     
       18. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 17 wherein said means for adjustably encircling a portion of the person's head includes a strap fastener coupled to said rear collar half so as to swivel thereon and means movably coupled to said rear collar half for guidably receiving said strap fastener. 
     
     
       19. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 18 wherein said means for guidably receiving said strap fastener includes a strap fastener guide member coupled to said rear collar half so as to swivel with respect thereto. 
     
     
       20. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 19 wherein said strap fastener guide member includes a swingable loop member for threading said strap fastener therethrough. 
     
     
       21. Emergency medical cervical collar comprising: first and second discrete body halves,   one of said halves being a front half and the other being a rear half,   each half being generally U-shaped with a bight portion and a pair of end portions extending from the bight portion, and preformed from soft, flexible material, at least the rear half lacking reinforcing means which would prevent the rear half from being flexed to a substantially flattened position for slipping behind an accident victim's neck, and   means for drawing said body halves together such that said body halves self-align with the end portions of said body halves in adjustable overlapping relation, and for securely holding said body halves together as aligned.   
     
     
       22. Emergency medical cervical collar comprising: first and second discrete body halves,   one of said body halves being a front half and the other being a rear half,   each half being generally U-shaped with a bight portion and a pair of end portions extending from the bight portion, and preformed from soft, flexible material, at least the rear half lacking reinforcing means which would prevent the rear half from being flexed to a substantially flattened position for slipping behind an accident victim's neck,   means for drawing said body halves together such that said body halves self-align with the end portions of said body halves in adjustable overlapping relation, and for securely holding said body halves together as aligned,   said front collar half having a chin support portion, the end portions of said front collar half extending from said chin support portion so as to enclose a substantial portion of the person's jawbone,   said rear collar half having a skull portion formed by said bight and end portions, the end portions of said rear collar half extending unitarily from said skull support portion sufficiently so as to overlap at least a portion of the person's ear, and   whereby said collar substantially prevents flexion, hyperextension and side-to-side movement of the person's head.   
     
     
       23. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said rear collar half is provided with one or more enlarged openings in the soft material for enabling said rear collar half to flex to a substantially flat shape. 
     
     
       24. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 including a rigid support member secured to said front collar half at the bight portion thereof, said support member and said front collar half having aligned openings for providing access to the person's trachea. 
     
     
       25. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said end portions of each body half extend from the bight portion thereof such that said overlapping relation between said end portions is adjustable to accommodate a range of adult neck sizes between approximately 11 inches and 18 inches. 
     
     
       26. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said end portions of each body half extend from the bight portion thereof such that said overlapping relation between said end portions is adjustable to accommodate a range of children's neck sizes between approximately 5 and 10 inches. 
     
     
       27. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 including means for adjustably encircling a portion of a person's head including the forehead to substantially prevent rotation or side-to-side movement of the head. 
     
     
       28. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 27 wherein said means for adjustably encircling the portion of the persons head is movably coupled to said rear collar half so as to swivel whereby said last-mentioned means may be moved to a cleared position so as to be readily accessible when said rear collar half is in a position behind the person's head. 
     
     
       29. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 27 wherein said means for adjustably encircling the portion of the person's head includes a strap fastener in a pad member slidable therealong, said pad member having a friction surface for contacting a portion of the person's forehead whereby said strap fastener is substantially prevented from sliding on the person's forehead. 
     
     
       30. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 29 wherein an end portion of said strap fastener is coupled to said rear collar half, said end portion comprising a fastener material, and wherein another portion of said strap fastener comprises a mating fastener material whereby said last-mentioned portion of said strap fastener may be secured by a releasable interlock to said end portion thereof. 
     
     
       31. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said rear collar half is provided with a rigid support member disposed along only the bight portion thereof so as to permit flexing of the rear collar half to a substantially flattened position, said rigid support member having a curved portion, and means coupled to said support member curved portion at the bight portion of the rear collar half for adjustably encircling a portion of the person's head including the forehead to substantially prevent rotation or side-to-side movement of the head. 
     
     
       32. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 31 wherein said means for adjustably encircling the portion of the person's head is movably coupled to said support member curved portion so as to swivel thereon whereby said last-mentioned means may be moved to a cleared position so as to be readily accessible when said rear collar half is in position behind the person's head. 
     
     
       33. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 31 wherein said means for adjustably encircling the portion of the person's head includes a strap fastener and a pad member slidable therealong, said pad member having a friction surface for contacting a portion of the person's forehead whereby said strap fastener is substantially prevented from sliding on the person's forehead. 
     
     
       34. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 33 wherein an end portion of said strap fastener is coupled to said rear collar half, said end portion comprising a fastener material, and wherein another portion of said strap fastener comprises a mating fastener material whereby said last-mentioned portion of said strap fastener may be secured by a releasable interlock to said end portion thereof. 
     
     
       35. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said means for adjustably drawing said body halves together such that said body half self-align, and for holding said body halves together as aligned, includes a strap fastener coupled to said rear collar half and means movably coupled to said front collar half for guidably receiving said strap fastener, said lastmentioned means being movable to a position whereby said collar halves self-align as said strap fastener is drawn therethrough. 
     
     
       36. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 35 wherein each of the end portions of strap fastener comprises a fastener material and wherein a portion of the strap fastener between said end portion is provided with a mating fastener material whereby each end portion of the strap fastener may be folded back and secured to said portion of the strap fastener therebetween. 
     
     
       37. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 35 wherein said means for guidably receiving such strap fastener includes a pair of strap fastener guide members coupled to said front collar half so as to swivel with respect thereto. 
     
     
       38. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 37 wherein each strap fastener guide member includes a swingable loop member for threading said strap fastener therethrough. 
     
     
       39. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said drawing means further comprises: a rigid reinforcement support member fixed adjacent a bight portion of said front collar half and including a slot through each lateral edge portion thereof.   
     
     
       40. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 39 further comprising: a strap fastener guide anchored to said front collar half and passing through said slot.   
     
     
       41. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 39 further comprising: a strap fastener affixed to said support member through said slot.   
     
     
       42. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 41 further comprising: a rigid reinforcement support member affixed adjacent to a bight portion of said rear collar half and including a pair of strap fastener guides anchored thereto.   
     
     
       43. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 21 or claim 22 or claim 11 wherein said body halves are water resistant. 
     
     
       44. Emergency medical cervical collar according to claim 43 wherein said body halves are sufficiently buoyant to float in water.